Survival of Malay community and Islam at stake if opposition wins GE14, says Pas

DAP will remain the dominant party in Pakatan Harapan while the political survival of the Malay community and Islam will be at stake should the opposition pact win the 14th General Election (GE14). (Pix by AZHAR RAMLI)

KANGAR: DAP will remain the dominant party in Pakatan Harapan while the political survival of the Malay community and Islam will be at stake should the opposition pact win the 14th General Election (GE14).

Pas spiritual leader Hashim Jasin said he believed DAP will remain the biggest party in Pakatan, despite the party contesting only 35 Parliamentary seats in the peninsular.

Citing the situation in Perak after the 12th General Election in 2008 as an example, he said although a Pas assemblyman was appointed as the Menteri Besar, it was DAP who were “calling the shots” as they were the dominant party at the time.

"If they (PPBM and PKR) do not lose seats to Pas, they might lose it to BN.

"Compare this to DAP, which is contesting in more comfortable seats which in reality, they have already won. So technically, DAP will lead Pakatan Harapan as they will win the most number of seats among the Pakatan Harapan components.

"So, if it is fated that Pakatan Harapan will form the new government, DAP will dictate all decisions to be made by the prime minister," he said.

Hashim said this situation would place the survival of the Malays and Islam in this country in jeopardy.

On Pakatan Harapan’s move to nominate Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as the interim prime minister should they win the GE14, Hashim described the decision as a desperate one.

Hashim expressed doubt that Dr Mahathir would hand over the post to PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, based on his track record.

"I am confident that the people will not be easily forget what he (Dr Mahathir) had done when he served as the prime minister for 22 years," he said.

Hashim said one of Dr Mahathir's biggest sins was to block aid to Islamic religious schools.

On the 27 Parliamentary seats allocated to Parti Amanah Negara (PAN), Hashim said he was surprised that the Pas splinter party was given quite a huge number of seat to contest in GE14 despite its small size.

"Based on my observation, PAN is digging its own grave in any seats they are contesting because they do not have the support from the people," he said.